Base for columns.



S. L. RILEY.

Y BASE IOR COLUMNS.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 2'1, 1909. 970,555. Patented sept. 2o, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

S. L. RILEY. BASE FOR COLUMNS. lAPPLIUATION FILED Nov. 27, 1909.

Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

2 BHEBTSL-SHEBT 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL L. RILEY, OF PALESTINE, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO E. M. GRIGGS, OF PALESTINE, TEXAS.

BASE Fon COLUMNS'.

To all 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. RILEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Palestine, in the county of Anderson and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Base for Columns; and lt do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention about to be set forth and claimed belongs to the art of columns, standards or posts, and it particularly pertains to a new and useful base or support, upon which the lower extremity of the column, standard or post rests, which base or support being so constructed that the same may be readily removed, when it is desired.

The primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a metallic base or support having Ventilating gutters or grooves upon its upper and lower surfaces whereby proper circulation about the lower' portion of the column or post may be had.

Another object of the invention is to provide the base with a seat or surface per fectly level7 and of less area than the bottom or engaging surface of the column or standard, in order that water may readily drain down the sides of the column and be carried off by the beveled portions of the base or support (which beveled portions extend from the seat or surface outwardly and slightly downwardly to the outer edges of the base or support).

A further object of the invention is to provide the lower surface of the base or support with a perfectly level engaging surface entirely about 3 of the sides of the base or support and the Ventilating gutters or grooves, so as to properly engage the floor, porch or other surface upon which the base is disposed, whereby the column or standard may be held perfectly perpendicular.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means penetrating the longitudinal length of the column or posts, whereby the base or support is held securely in position and correlatively with regard to the column, standard or post. By the provision of this new and novel base or support, the lower extremity of the column or post is, to a certain degree, prevented from decaying or rotting from long usage, as will be Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 27, 1909.

Patented Sept. 20, 1910.

serial No. 530,228.

readily and clearly understood from the foregoing and the hereinafter set forth disclosure.

Further objects and combination of parts of this invention will be hereinafter more clearly set forth and pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure l is a perspective view of the column, standard or post as applied to a porch or gallery, or other portion of an architectural structure suitably supported by the new and novel Ventilating base or support. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the column, standard or post and its base. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the base or support, showing the same upon an enlarged scale clearly disclosing the Ventilating gutters or grooves upon its upper portion. Fig. l is an enlarged perspective view, similar to Fig. 3, clearly disclosing the Ventilating gutters or grooves (which are formed in the lower face of the base or support), showing the opening through which the securing means between the base or support and t-he column penetrate. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed perspective view, of a base or support, the contour of which is shown as bei ng circular or annular, and showing the gutters upon the upper portion thereof. Fig. G vis an enlarged detailed perspective view of a base or support, of the same appearance as that shown in Fig. 5, looking at the under surface thereof, in order to clearly disclose the penetrating gutters or grooves formed in the bottom thereof.

In regard to the annexed illustrations1 l denotes a column, standard or post, which may be made of any suitable material, for instance: liber, or the like. 2 designates the base or support thereof, being arranged at the base of the column, standard or post, in the manner shown clearly in Fig. 1.

The base or support is provided with an aperture or opening 3, through which and the bore 4l. of the column, standard o1` post, the elongated bolt or rod 5 penetrates, in order to hold the base and standard or col umu properly iu position. The lower extremity of the bolt or rod is provided with a head G, while the upper end of the bolt or rod is threaded, as shown at 7, with which the threaded nut 8 engages, in order to cooperate with the head 6, whereby the base or support and the column or standard may be drawn closely and securely together.

The base or support is provided with a seat or resting surface 9, upon which the bottom or lower surface 10 of column or standard engages. This seat or resting surface is smaller in area than the bottom or\ engaging surface of the standard or column. This is for the purpose of allowing water to drain from the column and be carried olf by the beveled portions 11 of the base or support, for instance: when the column or standard is applied to the outside of any architectural structure. Extending across this seat or resting surface of the base or support, and at right angles to one another are Ventilating` gutters or grooves 12 (which open or merge into the beveled portions of the base or support, for obvious purposes.) The bottoms 13 of the Ventilating gutters or grooves 12 are inclined from the circular portion outwardly, where they merge into the beveled portions, in order that water or other foreign substances may be drained oft. The lower surface of the base or support is also provided with Ventilating gutters or grooves 141. and 15. The gutter or groove 14C opens at 16, and extends about 3 of the sides of the base or support and ends at 17 while the gutter or groove 15 extends across the bottom of the base or support and parallel to two portions of the gutter or groove 14, and merges into that portion of the gutter or groove 14, which extends at right angles to it, in order 0 provide proper circulation through the ase.

If the base is made annular or circular, the Ventilating gutter or groove extends or is disposed concentric with the circular or annular outline of the base, while the gutters or grooves 15 extend transversely of the base, as shown clearly in F ig. 6. About the aperture or opening through which the elongated bolt or rod extends, a hollowed out portion 18 is provided, into which one or more of the gutters or grooves 15 merge,`

whereby proper' circulation may be acquired. Extending about the gutter or vgroove 14: is an annular engaging surface 19, which is exactly level and disposed correlatively upon the same plane as the lower faces of the ribs or projections 20 (which extend intermediate of the gutters or grooves, in order that the base or support may rest evenly upon its supporting surface, floor or porch 21).

The base or support is provided with apertures 22, through which screws, bolts or other means 23 extend, in order to penetrate through the supporting surface, floor or porch or any other interior or exterior portion of an architectural structure, whereby displacement of the base or support is readily prevented.

From the foregoing, in connection with the drawings, it will be clearly evident that a very novel and useful base or support is shown, whereby the decaying or rottening of the lower portion of the column or base is obviated, it being understood that the base may be, if desired, formed of wood or other fiber, as well as metal, and if formed of wood or other liber, the same may be removed, for the placement of a new one. It is to be further understood that there may be as many gutters orgrooves as desired, in accordance with the requirements.

Having thus fully set forth the invention, what is claimed as new and useful is A. base for posts, consisting of a body having a resting surface to receive a post, said resting surface being cut into drainage and ventilation openings extending from the sides of the base through the center of the resting surface and intersecting each other, the upper part of the base being beveled on its sides, the lower part of the base being formed with a surface to engage a floor, said surface being formed with transversely extending grooves for drainage and ventilation, said grooves terminating at one side of the base, said last surface being further formed with a groove extending around the same over the major portion thereof, and with a centrally disposed enlargement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SAMUEL L. RILEY.

Vitnesses S. J. VILLIAMSON, R. A. MONICA. 

